Friday, June 20, 2014

We’ve had a fantastic time in the states so far, catching up with business and friends in New York (including finding the perfect café for Brian) and then spending one of the most interesting, challenging and inspiring weeks we've ever had as guest instructors at IMC - the Illustration Master Class that takes place every summer in Amherst, Mass.

We came there feeling very shy and apprehensive about what we could contribute to the mix of fantastic professionals who teach and share their expertise with the students (who are a mix of professional and non-professional artists) but left feeling like we had been able to add something unexpected and exciting to the whole thing. Anyway - we LOVED it! Thank you Rebecca Guay and all of the other instructors and students who made it such an amazing experience!

Tomorrow afternoon we will be attending the premier of Toby’s film “Lessons Learned” at the Hollywood theater in Portland. We can’t wait to see it on a big screen! There is such a buzz surrounding the film and the only thing that could remotely disappoint anyone is that it’s only fifteen minutes long. But then, it’s always good to leave people wanting more! Seeing the puppets in person (all in Toby and Sarah’s house) is wonderful. The craftsmanship and effort involved in making them shines out. They are indeed beautiful and fascinating creations.

Since it seems that we can never just sit still and relax (what’s that?) we are also working on a trailer for Youtube for the up coming book “Brian Froud’s Faeries’ Tales” while we’re here. We are taking advantage of Toby’s many skills to put together something fun that will of course have a puppet in it!

The new app “Faces of Faerie” is also almost finished and we are excited to be seeing the newest version of it when we return to New York next week.

All in all it is a very busy and exciting time for us. At the end of next week when we return home, we’ll start to concentrate on the festival in France and the book launch in New York and the gallery exhibition that will open at AFA gallery in the middle of September, but before doing that I can’t imagine anything better than to sit in the garden surrounded by faeries and drinking a nice cup of tea!